I don't think Christianity really changed this culture as much as we think it did. Sure, it took away all the bad parts of their culture, but the only real deep value it truly changed was their value on treachery. For example, if you were to take away treachery, then they would actually have a very efficient culture. I believe that, while it did not change very much, it greatly increased their values of the 'Peace Child'. Because they valued the peace child so much, showing Jesus as the perfect 'peace child' gave them a new understanding of what a 'peace child' really was. It opened their eyes to what the truth was, and showed them what they did that was wrong. However, there were really only a few practices that were truly anti-Christian, such as the treachery, or their method of 'letting go' of their relatives when they died. However, I believe the rest, with only minor changes, help secure the Christian foundation within the Sawi culture.
So in short, I would say that Christianity did not really re-write Sawi culture, it just removed the bad practices and strengthened the good ones. It brought out the good in the Sawi culture, and left the bad behind, and I believe that Christianity does just that with all cultures and beliefs. It takes away what is wrong, but emphasizes what is true and right, which allows the people who are new to Christianity, like the Sawi, to not be thrown into turmoil, but be able to see how Christianity is good for them, and how it will help them.
I believe that Christianity can find good to build off of in any religion or culture, no matter how horrific.
Nice post Calvin!
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that Christianity really replace the Sawi culture, but only was able to get rid of the bad parts of it. Well, I think that really, the reason Don Richardson went to the Sawi was not to change their whole culture, but just show them the love of Jesus Christ and that he has died for us. It wasn't necessarily to influence the Sawi culture, but simply to show them unfailing love of God and that he is the one and only mighty God.
I agree that Christianity did not demolish and rebuild their entire culture. The Sawi kept many customs and chunks of culture that didn't interfere with their new beliefs of Christianity. However, I do think that Christianity did indeed re-write their culture by removing the bad. I agree that it didn't change the whole cultural concept, but because that bad part was so much of their culture, I think Christianity paved a new cultural path. It removed the Sawi's ultimate tenant of treachery, which left their culture with a different support of the peace child. This revolutionized their culture, not by customs alone, but by lifestyle and cultural outlook. Old beliefs were smashed, which reveals a new major aspect of a new mesh of culture!
ReplyDeleteGreat insight on this!